Young Love
by Lady Chango
Summary: Sora and Kairi share a past, which accounts for their present rocky relationship. But will they get over that in order to create a new future together? SxK YOUNG LOVE II is not related to my story in any way.
1. Chapter 1

Lady Chango: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. But I give KH2 two snaps upin a circle!

Kairi Parker sat under the cherry blossom in the school courtyard. Her headphones hung around her neck, blaring some emo music, and she doodled into her sketchbook. All of them of a young man in various dreamy poses. Brown, wild hair, beautiful blue eyes...

"Well, if it isn't my childhood friend," a voice said. She didn't have to look to recognize the voice from her nightmares.

Sora Barrow flopped down next to her and threw an arm around her shoulders. She'd known him since they were kids, and she'd hated him forever. For what, she couldn't recall. He was wearing a pair of long, baggy shorts and a t-shirt, expensive sneakers and a large silver chain. His headphones blared rap.

"Can I help you?" Kairi scowled and turned away. His cerulean eyes almost had a hold of her, for a second. He brushed a hand down her arm, making little goose bumps under her skin.

"You gonna let me get up in your ribs, yet?" he asked, a sly, 'I'm-thinking-of-you-naked' smirk on his face. (A/N: Translation: You gonna let me screw you?)

For a second, she'd almost believed he was no longer an arrogant, hormone-driven asshole. "Can you not talk to me?"

"You're such a bitch!" Sora sneered.

"Screw you!"

"Kiss my ass!"

"I hate you!"

"Suck a banana!"

"Screw a goat!"

"Your momma's so dumb, she got stabbed in a shootout!"

"Your momma's so dirty, she loses weight when she takes a bath!"

"Your momma's so fat, when she fell in love, she broke it!"

"ARG!" Kairi stomped off. "You're so damn childish!"

"You started it!" Sora yelled after her. She didn't respond, disappearing into the school. After her figure was gone, he looked down and kicked the ground. Once again, he failed to say the right thing. Every time he tried to talk to Kairi, he said something rude, when, in fact, he wanted to tell her exactly what he was thinking.

"Kairi...I'm sorry."

* * *

"What'd he say to you this time?" Laney, Kairi's bi-polar best friend, asked, her legs swinging as she sat on the bathroom sink. 

"Besides the 'your momma' jokes? Nothing much." Kairi looked in the warped mirror and wiped her slightly teary eyes. She didn't know why it hurt so much when Sora Barrow talked to her like that. Perhaps because she'd liked him since 3rd grade. But the way he patronized her...it broke her heart. She loved and hated him at the same time.

"Why don't you just kick his ass?"

"It's not that simple, Lane."

"Yes it is, if you just tried it. I'm telling you; sock it to 'im once, and he'll never come back." Laney pumped a fist in the air. She began fumbling through her bag for a cigarette.

"Let me get one." Kairi hated smoking, but sometimes she just felt as though there was nothing else to do.

All of a sudden, Yuffie Setarah came into the bathroom.

"You got the wrong room. Boys is down the hall," Laney stated.

"Very funny," Yuffie sneered. She ignored her and turned to Kairi. "You'd better stay away from Sora, you emo sonofa bitch."

"Kiss my ass," Kairi stated bluntly and tossed the cigarette in the sink.

"Oh, no the hell she didn't!"

"Oh, yes the fuck she did!"

Yuffie went to hit Kairi, but she dodged and grabbed Yuffie's hair, slamming her into the wall and breaking a piece of tile. Falling to the ground, Yuffie let out a short yelp of pain before passing out.

"That was easy."

"Preps _are _easy."

Laney chuckled and they began to walk out to go to class. "Oh, wait," the older red-head exclaimed, pulling out a marker. In the little space where the tile had fallen out, she tagged 'Kairi + Laney were here!'

They shared a laugh and Kairi reached for the door handle, but not before it swung open to reveal their assistant principle.

"What's going on here?" The woman didn't have to look farther than the busted wall and Yuffie sprawled on the floor to make the connection.

* * *

"God, Sora, you talked to her and fucked up again?" Riku, Sora's best friend, asked in a whisper. 

"Yeah, Riku, how many times do I have to repeat myself?" He must've said this louder than he thought, because his teacher hushed him. Sora gave him the finger when his back was turned.

"You've liked her for so long...and you can't even bring yourself to say one nice thing to her!"

"Shut up, Riku!"

"Sora Barrow and Riku Gokita! Please be quiet or kindly leave the room!"

"Fuck you, man!" Sora responded.

The teacher swelled with anger. "Detention! Both of you!"

Riku gave Sora a look of exasperation and stood up to leave. Sora only flipped the teacher the bird before walking out.

"Good job, Sora! I didn't even say anything and he kicked me out."

"C'mon, man, sometimes you gotta rebel."

Sora opened the door to the detention room, only to jump in mild surprise upon seeing someone familiar. His heart skipped a beat as a pair of bright cerulean eyes turned to meet his.

"Kairi?"


	2. Chapter 2

1Lady Chango: Flay-vor Flav! (shudder) I hate that man.

Sora: That dude's a pimp! I idolize him.

Chango: (hits him on the head with a frying pan) You shut up. I don't understand what those women see in him. He doesn't have money, a pot to piss in, and, as far as I can see, his personality is that of a crack fiend/sex addict.

Sora: He _is _a crack fiend.

Chango: (sighs)

Young Love Ch2

Kairi stepped up to Sora with a small smile on her face. Her hands went to his chest and gently pushed until he lay back on the teacher's desk. _Where did everyone go? _Sora wondered for a second, before palming every one of her body parts in his reach. She fit comfortably against him, which pleased him for some reason.

With her delicate hands, she opened up his shirt and began kissing her way down his torso.

"Oh, shit," he muttered as Kairi reached his bellybutton.

She began fumbling with his pants until he flipped the script and held her under him.

His hand crept slowly but surely up her shirt as he placed butterfly-soft kisses down her collarbone.

"Sora," she purred into his ear.

"Yeah..."

"Wake up!"

Sora's eyes shot open and looked Kairi in the face. They were in the detention room, and she was glaring at him evilly.

"What were you thinking of? You almost fell asleep!"

Sora looked her up and down and said coolly into her ear, "I was thinking of undressing you."

She let out a little gasp of surprise, then scowled and punched him in the gut. "God, I hate you!"

Sora rubbed his toned stomach and kept staring. "That was a little softer than usual, Kai. Are you softening up?"

"You're not as charming as you think," she snapped.

He said nothing and sat behind her, much to her chagrin. Riku sat in front of Laney, who leaned forward and began whispering hotly into his ear. Lane wasn't known for discretion, but she _was _known for being a huge flirt.

Kairi felt eyes boring into her back. She whipped around and caught Sora staring again, licking his lips as if eyeing a meal. "Will you stop?"

"You're just too good to be true. Can't keep my eyes off you," he sang.

Kairi held in her emotions the best she could, almost until they poured out. She couldn't keep a small smile from breaking out on her face. "You're a terrible singer, you know."

Sora broke into a grin. "Thanks."

They stared at each other for a moment longer, almost hypnotized by each other's eyes. There was a slam of the door, and the sound of heavy boots reverberating against the floor.

"Hey, babe," Ansem No-Last-Name said, grabbing the back of Kairi's head and forcing her into a rough kiss.

"Hey yourself," she muttered when he released her. Sora glared at the senior, but said nothing.

Ansem caught Sora glaring and scowled. "What the fuck are you looking at?"

"Fuck you," he said simply and put on his headphones.

"Why, you little..." He made a grab for the younger boy, but Kairi grabbed his arm.

"Ansem, don't!"

Ansem stopped, only to turn and glare at her coldly. He shook her off and watched as she fell to the floor with a thud. Sora jumped to help her up. Laney and Riku crowded about her, making a protective circle around their friend.

"I'll deal with you later," he said, voice dripping with venom. The slam of the door as he left made the foundation shake and Kairi flinch. She knew what he meant. And she was afraid.

"Why do you _date _him?" Sora grumbled.

"'Cause I can," she snapped.

"Does he abuse you?" he pressed.

"It's none of your fucking business!" Shaking them off, Kairi jumped and fled the room. She refused to let them see her weakness in Ansem's presence. Running blindly, she crashed into students until she made it to the parking lot. As soft sobs wracked her chest, she was too caught up in herself to hear the sound of boots making the ground tremble.

Back in the Classroom...

"What does she see in him, anyway?" Sora grumbled to himself.

"I don't know. He's such an asshole," Riku agreed.

"He's abusive," Laney said stoically.

Both boys turned to her. She didn't make eye contact with either of them. Sora was the first to speak.

"Why don't you tell someone?"

"She says they love each other..." It sounded lame when she said it out loud.

"Isn't that a bit _too _cliche, Lane?" Riku raised a silver eyebrow.

"I'm gonna go find her," Sora decided. His sneakers squeaked against the linoleum as he charged out of the room.

Riku and Laney glanced at each other, then at the teacher who was supposed to be watching them, but was soundly asleep.

"Wanna make out?"

"Sure."

* * *

Sora slowed to a stop at the main doors. He didn't even know which direction she'd gone in. There was a scream from the parking lot, and his stomach dropped. With one quick, spastic jerk, he was at the bottom of the stairs and making great bounds and leaps toward the direction of her voice.

He made it just in time to see Ansem pushing her to the ground. She was slightly bruised, and her lip was bleeding profusely.

"How dare you protect that little bastard from me?" He kicked the back of her knee with his steel-tipped boots. She cringed and huddled into a protective ball. "You are mine, and you will do as I please." He took out a huge, industrial link chain that looked as if it were made for a lion. Lifting it over his head, he prepared to beat Kairi until his lust for violence was satisfied.

With a bestial roar, Sora launched himself at the older boy, knocking him into the concrete. For a few seconds they scuffled, Sora attempting to wrench the chain from his hands and Ansem attempting to strangle him.

Within the few seconds, Ansem punched Sora hard in the gut, making him spit up blood. The truant officer ran towards them, brandishing his baton. Ansem jumped and ran, knowing his outstanding criminal record was about to catch up.

The officer helped Kairi up, but she struggled out of his grasp and stumbled over to Sora. He flinched slightly when he felt her small hand on his back, and wretched more blood.

"A-are you okay?"

He wiped off his mouth and stood woozily. "I should be asking you that."

"I'm okay..."

"No," he said resolutely. "I'll take you to the nurse's."

He wobbled and grabbed her hand. While she blushed, he only made his way towards the school with determined, if unsteady, legs.

"Sora, you don't look so good." His bruises didn't show, really, and he lookedalright. Besides the throwing up blood thing.

"I'm okay." They stopped at the nurse's office, and the nurse let out a gasp.

"What the hell!"

"Kairi - "

"- tripped," the girl finished.

The nurse peered at them curiously, but grabbed Kairi's arm and started clucking like a worried mother hen.

"But, Ms. Rayne, Sora is..."

"Don't worry about him. You look like someone tore you down. Forget 'tripped'!" The nurse looked at her suspiciously, but Kairi didn't make eye contact.

"No, I think he's really hurt!"

"Kairi, I know you're worried about your boyfriend..." Before Kairi could open her mouth to protest, she heard the distinct thump of a body hitting the ground. She jumped from the table and rushed to see Sora crumpled on the linoleum, a small pool of blood on the floor, steadily leaking from his mouth.

Kairi let out a shriek and crouched next to his body. Fearing he may be gravely injured, she only touched his cheek tenderly.

Ms. Rayne sprung into action and used her superhuman strength to pick up the lanky boy and put him on the nearest bed. She pulled the curtain closed with a snap of finality.


	3. Chapter 3

Lady Chango: This story has a pretty good turnout. I plan on having the story pick up a bit more after this chapter - so hold me down until then.

Sora: ...And she doesn't own Kingdom Hearts, which she continues to forget.

Chango: (not listening)

For an hour Kairi sat in the nurses office awaiting any news of Sora's condition. Ms. Rayne finally came out, letting out a sigh.

"Is he okay?" Her voice cracked a bit, which she didn't expect.

The nurse nodded. "Whatever happened to him, it must've hit a vital organ. Not bad enough to kill him or anything, but enough to make him a bit ill." She bit her lip thoughtfully. "I've tried calling his house, but no one will pick up. He should probably get home."

"I'll do it," Kairi stated out of nowhere. Even she hadn't expected it.

"You sure?"

"Yep." A semi-concious Sora dragged himself into the room, not reacting when Kairi grabbed his arm and forced him to lean against her for support.

Riku was waiting for them outside, and drove them to Sora's shabby, sad little apartment. She didn't realize it, but Sora lived alone.

He helped her carry him inside and onto the couch. He watched as Kairi coddled the sleeping young man. With a small smile, he left them alone.

Kairi fell asleep against the couch a while later, only to be awaked by a yelp of surprise from Sora.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"You got hurt, so I brought you home."

He glared at her like a beast trapped in a cage. "Get out," he growled.

"What?"

"You heard me! Get out!"

Kairi flinched at the sound of his voice, but did as she was told. She heard him punching the walls as she stumbled down the stairs.

Sora fell to his knees, knuckles bloodied and fingers fisted in his hair. He didn't want Kairi to see the state of his life. It was not unlike his home - in shambles.

* * *

Kairi walked home in the dark, scraping her feet against the ground. Why had Sora been so aggressive? One moment he was all over her, the next shunning her. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head and chided herself. He'd always been like that. Hot and cold. Kind and cruel. So bi-polar.

This was not entirely true, she assured herself. He just needed a pivot. Something to balance him. Who was willing to accept the task?

"Hello, my dear," a chillingly cool voice said from within the shadows.

"Ansem...?"

He popped up behind her and fisted his hand in her hair. "You didn't think I was done with you, did you?"

For a good minute he beat her into the ground, but it felt like hours to the poor girl. When her boyfriend was ready to deliver the last blow, she braced herself for it. The rush of pain never came. She could hear the sounds of a fight, but she was no longer the victim.

"What kind of bitch beats on a defenseless woman?" Sora snarled at Ansem. The boy clutched a baseball bat in his hand, and beat on Ansem mercilessly until he was clearly unconscious, or possibly dead.

Kairi looked into the shining blue eyes of her savior before passing out with tears in her eyes.

* * *

Kairi awoke in Sora's house, on the couch he'd laid on not long ago. Her head was wrapped like a mummy, and her cuts and bruises were managed with care but lack of skill. She heard Sora fumbling around in the kitchen. Creeping in like a mouse, she saw him with his back to her, fixing coffee.

In a sudden surge of emotion, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his back. For a while they stood like that, saying nothing. When she finally pulled away, she noticed with a blush that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"You okay?" he asked a bit stiffly, leaning against the counter.

She responded similarly. "Yeah." She watched him bustle about the small kitchenette, taking in the sight of his bare back. She hadn't taken the time to take in the feel of it while she hugged him. This made her slightly disappointed. There were a few tattoos on his skin, mostly black, but some in color. A swirling tribal tattoo encircled his upper right arm, and crawled across his pectoral. A cross on his lower back. But what stood out most was a red-haired, blue-eyed mermaid on his left shoulder blade. It could've been Ariel from The Little Mermaid at a glance, but it suspiciously resembled Kairi. _'So badass,' _she could hear Lane whisper in her head.

"Coffee?"

"Sure." She muttered a 'thanks' and sipped daintily, while Sora chugged his like it was water.

"Why the hell do you go out with him?"

The question was slightly unexpected, but Kairi knew it was coming eventually. "'Cause I liked him."

Sora noticed the past-tense. "Enough to let him bloody you?"

"He didn't always," she said quickly. "At first he was okay... Then he started saying stuff to me, like no one would want me, and he was the only one that would take care of me."

"Sounds cliche," he said, a bit unsympathetic. "You shouldn't hang with guys like him. He's from the 'hood."

She bit her tongue to keep from pointing out that so was he, and instead glared at her coffee. "Yeah, well, that's what happens when you don't have a father. You start looking for something to replace him. Anything will do, 'cause you don't know what the difference is."

"At least you have your mom."

"It's not the same."

"Stop taking things for granted. Don't be so goddamn selfish," he snapped, getting up and going into the living room. She heard him turn on the TV to music videos and turn it up full blast. For a second she mulled over what to do. She was pretty angry at his response, yet shame bubbled in the pit of her stomach.

Coming to her conclusion, she stomped into the living room and stood in front of Sora, blocking his view of the TV.

Sora glared, but he would never put his hands on her in an aggressive manner. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt a woman. Instead, he placed his hands on her hips firmly, hoping she'd get the message.

Her fingers went to his chin and forced him to look in her face. "Don't act like you know what I've been through."

He pulled his chin out of her hand. "How do you know I haven't been through it?"

"Even if you had, we may not feel the same."

"I lost my mother. My father doesn't want me. How the fuck do you _think _I feel?" He stood up quickly and punched the nearest wall.

"Sora," she choked. She hesitated before flinging herself at him, hugging his neck. "I'm sorry."

He let out a sigh and put his arms around her. They were pretty similar, he now saw. Maybe they could heal each others wounds? It was too much to hope for. He was jarred from his thoughts when he felt Kairi tracing a slim finger around a bullet wound on his shoulder. He jumped when he felt her lips against his skin.

"What the hell..."

"Sorry," she said quickly.

"No, it's just..." Now that he had a chance, he couldn't blow it. But he couldn't find the words. He had to find a way to portray his feelings. Usually he was quick to act aggressively, as it was much more familiar to him. But the situation didn't call for that. He pulled away from her and began pacing the room. Kairi needed a strong male figure in her life. Sora needed some tenderness. By all means, he should have been jumping at the chance to get a little of what he needed. But he didn't want to get involved just because he was desperate.

"Kairi," he began in a heartfelt voice, getting on his knees in front of her in order to be level with her.

"Y-yes...?" She was touched by the tenderness in his voice.

"You have to promise me, Kairi, that whatever happens between us, we need to be friends. I don't want to get involved only to get broken in the end."

Kairi nodded and smiled softly. "So, you're saying we need to take it slow?"

"Hell no," he said quickly, surprising her. "I want you here and now. I have feelings for you, Kairi, but I'm not sure if it's love."


	4. Chapter 4

Lady Chango: (listening to reggaeton) I wonder if anyone else on this site listens to this music. (too busy singing, she ignores the evil looks she receives from readers waiting for her to continue)

Riku: Chango-chan doesn't own Kingdom Hearts. But she did beat KH2, at last.

**What's in a name? There's something special about Kairi and Sora's last names in this story. It's actually related to something Sora says in this chapter. Don't burst a blood vessel trying to figure it out, though, I'll tell you in the next chapter.**

"...Have you ever seen the fairy tales, where good is light and bad is dark?

"Like, it's really easy to see the difference, and make the right choice?

"It's not really like that - is it."

"What do you mean?"

Kairi looked up into the cracks of the ceiling and picked her words carefully. "Sometimes Ansem was really nice. He apologized after he hit me. But then he stopped being sorry...and he started beating me till I was black and blue. He broke my arm once." Her fingers crept to her arm unconsciously, remembering the pain. Blue orbs filled with water, and Sora couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Turning on his side, he reached for her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. It made him content inside to know that he could finally be intimate with Kairi.

"In the real world, you just never know..." he whispered, stroking the back of her hand. Sora wasn't sure how he felt about Kairi, but he knew there was a great feeling of comfort when he was around her. His stomach did a three-sixty, and his heart and brain were waging a battle of epic proportions, vying for command, all at the same time.

Kairi turned over and looked at the male half-asleep on the floor. "Sora?"

"Hmm...?" he muttered somewhat groggily and still in deep thought.

"What do you want in a girl?" Kairi tugged the blanket up to her chin in a comforting way, as if to shield herself from what he would say.

Sora raised an eyebrow. Where had that question come from? A sigh escaped his lips and he picked his brain looking for an answer.

"Who is my ideal girl? Doesn't really matter to me, but there are some specifics that this girl needs." Kairi giggled at his little rap. Sora smiled, glad to know he was the source of her happiness."My ideal woman is always willing to play Bonnie to my Clyde/ Stay by my side, ready to ride/ She got my back, my body, my soul and my mind/ I'd love her to death and we'd be together for all time/ A fairytale romance ain't realistic to me/ But with this perfect girl, I just might believe/ I know a girl like this, I wish she could see/ This girl of my dreams happens to be..."_ ...Kairi_, Sora thought to himself. He did not say this aloud, and sat, his mouth opened in mid-sentence.

Kairi raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to finish. Who was this mystery girl? He mentioned that she didn't notice him. There was a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. Why? Perhaps she was sorry for Sora, who wanted someone who didn't even want him back.

_You want him for yourself._

No! She just wanted him to be happy, is all. How could this girl not like him? He was sexy, with those beautiful blue eyes, tan skin and that endearing smile and...But no. She didn't like him. Not like that...

_Don't lie to yourself. You don't have to tell him or anything. Just admit it. _Since when had her conscience been so sneaky?

_Do I?_ Kairi thought. _Do I really love Sora Barrow?_ In all her years, she'd never considered it love. More like a crush. Now she realized that she was in total denial. They were almost nineteen - no more kiddie games.

"Sora?"

Sora snapped out of his daze. "Yeah, baby doll?"

"What were you gonna say?"

"Nothin'," he said quickly, turning away. Disappointment was evident on Kairi's face. She felt stupid for even thinking that Sora was even slightly interested in her in that way. His standards were much higher, this she knew.

There was silence for a moment, and Kairi began to feel uncomfortable in Sora's bed, under his covers, surrounded by his scent. And he was on the floor, his hair mussed and muscles taut, naked aside from the basketball shorts he wore baggy, leaving almost nothing to the imagination.

If she hadn't loved him before, she certainly felt lust for him now. She was so busy examining his body she didn't hear her phone ring.

Sora peered at her, catching her staring. He fought the urge to smirk and pointed to the night stand. "You gonna pick that up?"

"Huh?" She finally heard Utada Hikaru's 'Sanctuary' and grabbed her cell phone, picking it up and abruptly cutting off the song. "Hello?"

"Kairi, where the hell are you? Riku told me you took Sora home!"

"Yeah, I did."

"Why didn't you tell me? Your mom called, and I didn't know what to tell her, so I said we were hanging out."

Kairi let out a sigh of relief. Trust Lane to hold her down in a tight situation. "Thanks, Lane."

"No prob." Lane coughed. "So, did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"..."

"Oh, my God, Lane! No!" Kairi blushed furiously, understanding what her friend meant.

"Well, you stayed over his house, so I figured..."

"No. No we did not." Kairi turned her back on Sora so he didn't hear the conversation.

"Is he there? Sora? Sora! How was it?"

"Shut up!" Kairi hissed, making Sora look over at her, raising an eyebrow. "How did you find out from Riku, anyway?"

"He came over after he dropped you guys off."

Kairi smirked to herself, knowing Lane had walked right into her trap. "What was he doing over your house?"

"Uh..."

"Ah...so Riku and you were chillin' out?"

Lane was silent for a moment, then let out a laugh. "You caught me. I ain't gonna front, there was no chillin' involved in what we did." Kairi could hear the satisfied smirk in Lane's voice.

A blush bloomed in Kairi's cheeks. She turned in time to see Sora stretching, his muscles tensing and rippling under his skin. Her temperature spiked and she dashed into the bathroom to take a cold shower, tossing her phone on the bed.

Sora watched her, confusion evident in his expression. He made his way over to the bathroom door, only to hear the shower running. Listening until the faucet turned off, he hesitantly tapped at the door. "Kairi?"

"Yes?"

"You don't have any clothes." He could've sworn he heard her slap her forehead. No noise came from the room, so Sora was sufficiently startled when the door creaked open. Wrapped in nothing but a towel, she looked perfectly innocent and terribly exposed. "School doesn't start for an hour or so...I'll take you home to pick up some clothes. You can wear something of mine until then."

She nodded sheepishly and tiptoed out, her flaming mane dripping water on the rug. When she turned to look at him, the towel slipped a bit, revealing enough cleavage - along with her shapely legs and curvy hips - to make him stand at attention. Without looking at her, he turned around and tossed her a pair of boxers and a t shirt before bolting for the shower himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Lady Chango: (scribbling down a list entitled 'Sexiest Men Evar/Christmas List') Jensen Atwood...Shemar Moore...that punk-rock kid from _Four Brothers_...Riku...(glances up and sees everyone watching her) Ah! (sits on the paper) What are you looking at?! I don't own Kingdom Hearts or anything I refer to in this story! _What do you want from me?! _(runs away)

-If you haven't figured it out yet, **Parker **and **Barrow** are the last names of America's most infamous crime couple - Bonnie & Clyde.

* * *

Kairi sat in the passenger seat of Sora's 1964 Chevy Impala, looking out of the window, but not concentrating on the scenery. Rather than go home and try to face her mother, Kairi opted to go to Lane's house, where she stashed some extra clothes if a situation called for it.

Sora kept stealing glances at the beauty in his car, all the while trying not to get them both killed with his reckless driving. Although it probably wasn't the most logical thing to do while driving, he reached across the space between them and grasped her hand.

"Lane!" Kairi pressed her friend's door buzzer for the fourth time. The bitch was hardheaded, but not a heavy sleeper. She was obviously in the middle of something important.

When the buzzer finally went off, Kairi pushed the door so hard, it hit the opposite wall. The security guard glanced up at them, but Kairi sent him an icy glare that made him rethink any reprimands he was going to make.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Kairi screamed when she barged into Lane's apartment. Without thinking, she strode right into her bedroom, fully prepared to give her friend a verbal lashing. "I called you, I hit the fuckin' buzzer, I-" The redhead's mouth shut with a sharp 'click' when she saw Riku splayed out across Lane's bed, covered only by a thin bed sheet; a trickle of drool ran out of his mouth and his clothes were strewn across the floor, signifying that he'd been there for a long while.

"Kairi!" Lane charged out of the bathroom clad in a bathrobe. It didn't take a genius to see that she was naked underneath. "Oh...um..."

"What are you gonna say? 'It's not what it looks like?'"

"That was my first plan...but I don't think it works very well for this situation." Instead, she pushed her friends out of the room and shut the door firmly.

"Wow...that was embarrassing..."

Kairi was silently blushing. Probably because she was imagining her and Sora in the same situation, sans the getting caught part.

Lane emerged a few moments later, tossing Kairi a pile of clothing before sitting down and lighting a cigarette. Kairi gave her an incredulous look, as if asking 'How'd you know?'

Lane pointed to Kairi's attire - an oversized 'Stop Snitchin' t shirt that swam on her body, and Mickey Mouse boxers.

"Are you _sure _nothing went down?"

* * *

Kairi was almost dead, she was sure of it. Physical Health had to have been the single most boring class she'd ever taken. All they ever talked about was things she already knew. That, and the fact that students still giggled when someone said 'penis' out loud.

The teacher blabbed on about the reproductive system, efficiently boring her until her eyes bled tears of sorrow.

"Arggg!"

Without blinking, Mr. Jibbah pointed to the door. "Ms. Parker, detention."

Kairi didn't much care for her school's form of reprimanding students. If they acted up, they were sent to a detention room in the middle of class. No one said anything if the kids didn't show up, however, and the teachers never sent a note to anyone to have the students apprehended.

So rather than go to detention, Kairi saw fit to wander the halls until she got caught.

Unconsciously, Kairi made her way to the back of the school, where the basketball courts were. Interestingly enough, she found Sora rolling dice with a group of freshman who hadn't yet wised up to the senior's tricks. For example, had they known Sora, they would have known he used loaded dice.

The newbies groaned when they lost the last of their money, while Sora raked in his cash flow with a grin. Humming a little rap to himself, he counted his money and walked right into Kairi.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, pocketing the fifty or so dollars in his baggy khaki shorts.

"I got kicked out of class," she said nonchalantly, as if breaking school rules came naturally to her. Well, it did, but she usually did her dirt on the down-low.

"Becoming a regular little hooligan, I see."

A smirk graced the girl's lips. "You have no idea."

For some reason, Sora liked the daring tone in her voice, and put his arm around her waist in order to pull her close. "C'mon, lets go get some lunch out. My treat..."


End file.
